Potato-digger



(No Model D.LEV.ARN.

v POTATO BIGGER. v No. 374,797. P ed Dec. 13, 1887-.

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UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE. 1

DANIEL LEVARN, OF NEW HAVEN, VERMONT.

POTATO-BIGGER."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,797, dated December 13,1887. Application filed October 15, 1887. Serial No. 252,463. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL LEVARN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Haven, .in thecounty of Addison and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Diggers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in potato-diggers; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the parts thereof, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invent-ion is to provide a cheap and simple implement for garden use whereby potatoes can be removed from the ground and the soil separated therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, and wherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 represents a potato-digger in perspective constructed in accordance with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.

A refers to the beam of my improved potato-digger, which is provided at its front end with a clevis, the rear end thereof being provided with a metallic clip, a, between which and the end of the beam the handles pass downwardly.. The beam A is provided with a vertical slot, through which passes the upper end of the standard Cof the shovel-plow.

To the lower front edge of the upper portion of the shovel-plow is attached the point F, which has a central rearwardly-extending bar, G, which is hollowed at the rear to provide a groove within which the ends of the handlebars can be secured by means of suitable bolts. The upper portion of the shovel-plowD,which is formed integral with the standard 0, is provided with wings which diverge outwardly and downwardly, so as to provide an upwardlyinclincd surface, the rear portion thereof having perforations which are partially formed therein and in clamping-plates E for the reception of bars E E. The bars or rods E E are curved upwardly and outwardly and have plates I mounted thereon, which are adapted to slide upward and form an opening between the same and the top edges of the shovel-plow. Suitable guide plates, .e, are secured to the lower edges of the plates I, and central clips, 6, are also provided, which engage with the bars E, as shown, and guide the plates in their sliding movement. The ground passes through the openings formed by'said plates when adjusted, the potatoes rolling off the 'side of the plow. When the plates I are raised or slid upward on the rods E, an extension of the plowshares is formed, and when plowing deep the earth is thrown over on each side and pre- Vented from falling over the rear of the plows, and thereby a thorough turning of the mold is attained; also, when the plates I are slightly raised, a portion of the dirt may pass between the opening formed by this arrangement, and

thereby to a certain extent relieve the strain brought to bear upon the plows proper. This construction greatly facilitates potato-digging and tends to throw the potatoes fully out of the ground. 7

The rear end of the beam is provided with a clip or bent plate, a, as hereinbefore described, which is suitably secured thereto by a single bolt, so as to prevent the end of the beam from being split, said clip also serving to hold the handles in place upon the beam.

Suitable colters, J and K, are also provided,

the use and purposes of which are well understood.

1 The handles are constructed of single pieces of wood, which are separated from each other by a cross-bar near their upper ends.

I am aware that prior to my invention it has been proposed to provide potato-diggers with double-shovel plows having rearwardlyextending bars, and I do not claim such construction, broadly, as my invention; but

What I do claim as new, and de'sireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a potato-digger, the combination of a beam and handles attached thereto, a point too I shoe, and the adjustable plates I, mounted onthe bars E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a potato-digger, the combination ofa.

beam having a slot, B, a shoe having rearwardly and laterally extending side wings, a curved standard, C, bars E E, attached to the rear portion of the shoe, the adjustable plates I on said bars -E, and the point F, having a centrally rearwardly-extending bar, G, and havingthe handles attached to the said beam and at their lower ends to the rear end of the bar G, substantially as described.

3. In a potato-digger, the combination of a double'shovel plow constructed substantially as shown and provided at its rear portion with bars E, having sliding plates I mounted thereon, a curved standard for attaching the plow to the beam, the handles having diverging upper portions and lower parallel ends, said handles being secured within a slot in the rear end of a bar, G, extending from the plowpoint by a suitablebolt, and a clip, a, for binding the handles to the rear of the beam, the parts being organized substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the double-shovel plow, of the bars E, mounted at the rear upper edges thereof on each side of the beam and secured thereto by suitable clamping-plates, E, the sliding plates on said bars having central clips, 0, and guide-plates e, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the double-shovel plow, of the bars E, secured to the rear portion thereof, and the adjustable plates I, mounted on said bars, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in 

